ITF, International Transport Workers' Federation (2025) Labour exploitation in distant water fishing vessels registered with the SPRFMO: The importance of comprehensive risk analysis prior to arrival at port. p. 28.
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Different forms of maritime crime converge behind the activity of distant water fishing fleets. These crimes include human trafficking and forced labour, as well as distinct forms of human rights violations on board, which, given the seriousness and aberrant nature of their consequences, deserve special and prominent attention. The brief interludes of these vessels into port represent the best opportunities for the prevention, detection and repression of this type of crime, where a comprehensive risk analysis prior to their arrival would greatly contribute to achieving these objectives. Between 2013 and 2023, 66 crew members from 59 vessels registered with the South Pacific Regional Fisheries Management Organization (SPRFMO) were received deceased at regional ports or went missing after falling into the sea. The situation is no better for those who became sick or injured on board. In Peruvian ports alone, official data reports that in 2024, at least 27 crew members disembarked from ships registered with the RFMO to receive medical attention. Although fishing may be considered one of the most dangerous activities in the world, the labour exploitation of crews contributes to these statistics. This report relies on case studies. It applies a regional and company-level approach as well as diverse background information from different countries and distinct authorities and organizations to demonstrate the existence of forced labour and other forms of labour abuse taking place aboard distant water fishing vessels operating on the South American high seas. This reveals the need to expand the scale of research from local to global, focusing on the sphere of companies, to allow a comprehensive understanding and analysis of the issue. After combining both the levels of analysis and the background in their different dimensions – fishing, navigation safety, health and working conditions – using information from distinct sources, it is possible to create a broader and more complete risk profile that permits the association of ships and their illegal activities with individuals and legal entities linked to them. In this task, the work, cooperation and exchange of interagency information between the control authorities of the countries in the region, as well as between these and civil society organisations and international organisations with influence in the activity of these fleets, are essential. Of particular relevance are initiatives such as the conservation and management measure (CMM) proposed by New Zealand within the framework of the SPRFMO to improve the working conditions of fishermen and reduce violations of their labour rights by applying clear standards and agreed obligations that countries must enforce on vessels authorised to fish in the area of the Convention. Support from member country delegations is essential for the creation of a binding standard on decent work in fishing activities.
| Item Type: | Articles |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | Fishing Vessels, ITF, Fishing Fleets, Trafficking, Forced Labour, SPRFMO, Case Studies, Conservation and Management Measure (CMM), Human Rights |
| Subjects: | Decent Work |
| Depositing User: | Kokila ICSF Krish |
| Date Deposited: | 23 Jun 2025 10:15 |
| Last Modified: | 23 Jun 2025 10:15 |
| URI: | http://icsfarchives.net/id/eprint/21868 |
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